Indian astronomers discover rare giant radio galaxy

byonNovember 11, 2015

NEW DELHI, Nov. 10 — Indian astronomers claim to have discovered an extremely rare giant dying radio galaxy that is located some 9 billion light years away.

A team at the National Center for Radio Astrophysics in the western state of Maharashtra's city of Pune found the galaxy — J021659-044920 — towards constellation Cetus, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to the astronomers, the galaxy, which was spotted using the giant metrewave radio telescope, is emitting powerful radio waves with an end-to-end extent of 4 million light years.

"Our work presents a case study of a rare example of a giant radio galaxy caught in dying phase in the distant universe," the astronomers were quoted by the media as saying.

The findings have been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. (PNA/Xinhua)